La Casa Preserves Part of Merritt Island’s Past as well as its Residents’ Quality of Life.

Think of La Casa, the new assisted senior living facility, as an act of faith in its community as well as compassion for its residents.

Owned by a pair of registered nurses who are members of longtime Merritt Island families, it is set in one of the area’s most historic districts, Merritt Park Place, with offices located in a structure built in 1901.

“We want to be part of the revitalization of this historic district. We want to give Merritt Island something to be proud of; something completely different than what you might expect in an assisted living facility,” says Stacy Slaughter, La Casa’s marketing director and daughter of Debbie Wilborn, who owns the facility with Keith Krodel.

“My grandfather owned 85 acres here and the Wilborns were citrus growers, so we have deep roots. Preservation is highly important to my mom.”

So is quality of care. Its owners have decades of experience in local hospitals and other institutions, as well as in private duty nursing.

One of the few facilities of its type that accepts residents with advanced cases of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, it has all the services families expect, minus what Slaughter calls the “antiseptic, institutional atmosphere” found in some assisted living facilities.

“We want to maintain the residential feel of the place. We want it to be cozy, inviting to the people who live here and their families. Because the owners really have that passion for preserving the architecture and the quaintness of the area, it is kind of a throwback. Without a doubt, our main (attraction) is that the look and feel of La Casa invites people to come back to a simpler time, a time they can relate to. They feel comfortable here. We place so much emphasis on quality of life.”

The complex is about to undergo expansion, doubling its size from the current 20 beds, most of which are filled. Work is expected to begin in coming weeks and should be complete later this year.

“We already have the blueprints for the expansion and have found that there is such a need for it that it is ridiculous. The expansion will focus on an Alzheimer’s secured unit with assisted living . . . . We’re very excited about it and there’s nothing like it on Merritt Island,” Slaughter says.

La Casa

220 N. Grove St., Merritt Island

(321) 426-5505

Services:

All private, furnished rooms with half-bath amenities

All rooms and common areas have flat-screen televisions and cable service